Leaving Jetty Road

Australian author Burton's engrossing first novel delves into the psyches of three teenage girlfriends during their last year of high school. Nat, one of two narrators, neatly divides people into two categories, the swimmers ("always knowing where they're headed") and the drifters ("They don't sink, and they don't swim"). Not knowing what she wants to do after graduation, Nat considers herself to be a drifter until she falls in love with Josh, a fellow employee at a health food restaurant. However, the relationship is not destined to last. Meanwhile, Lise, the second narrator, whom Nat deems a "swimmer," is much less stable than her determined, focused personality suggests. After becoming a vegetarian, she takes her dieting to an extreme, and her friends start to wonder if she is becoming anorexic. Alternating the two girls' points of view, Burton skillfully captures universal doubts and insecurities that are a part of growing up as both girls struggle with obsessions. Nat and Lise emerge as clearly defined, vulnerable characters whose hurt and anxieties will be strongly felt. Their close friend Sofia, who exudes confidence and common sense, provides a comical and refreshing contrast to her more introspective pals. Although psychologically intense, the book remains optimistic, hinting in the end that the girls will overcome their obstacles even as they choose different paths. Ages 12-up. (July)